YEREVAN. – Dear compatriots, there is no need to make panicky purchases in stores. Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this today during a session of the coronavirus prevention task force, adding that, fortunately, such purchases were made for a short duration.

"True, we have a shortage of certain essentials, most importantly, a shortage of masks; but this problem is not only in our country but around the world," Pashinyan said, in particular. “We have received information that there are businessmen who are ready to import masks. But as prices have risen around the world, they are worried that they inside [Armenia] they will be accused of speculative pricing."

The Prime Minister said it was positive that the coronavirus was being treated with more humor in social media. "But it cannot be not taken seriously either," he added. “Every year we have about 10 cases of death from the common flu.

Therefore, our main task is that there should be no panic in Armenia under any circumstance (…). For this, the government should become the guarantor for the absence of such panic. Its guarantee is that it is ruled out that we hide any information from the citizens of Armenia."

Nikol Pashinyan also noted that there should be no restrictions for people in the country. “People can go to the movies, go to the theater, celebrate birthdays, but in the meantime (...) be more careful; the rest is manageable.”